Shanghai Library celebrates 'Reading Heritage' winners

Shanghai Library has added 24 culturally rich web novels to its collection, celebrating the winners of the "Reading Heritage" competition co-hosted by Beijing-Based Prince Kung's Palace Museum and Yuewen Group.

Held at the library's East Branch on Monday, the award ceremony honored works that showcase Chinese heritage with contemporary flair.

The top prize was "Breaking Blade", a thrilling web novel set in ancient Xi'an that includes more than 100 traditional elements like shadow puppetry, drum music and Shaanxi folk arts.

This work captivated judges with its vivid story and spotlight on local customs, bridging the gap between old and new.

In just two years, the competition has generated 100,000 submissions and more than 20 billion words, highlighting the appeal of heritage-based web novels.

Winners like "The Crow's Testimony" and "Sanity in Tianjin" will soon be adapted into other media forms, bringing ancient culture to readers in fresh ways like audiobooks, animation and TV shows.

"Heritage is no fossil," noted Yuewen's Vice President Yang Chen, "it's woven into modern life and memory."

Prince Kung's Palace Museum's Vice Director Su Ning said that this project isn't only about honoring tradition, but about ensuring its future.

Shanghai Library Deputy Director Xu Qiang added that the Library aims to integrate these cultural treasures with digital platforms, blending the old and new worlds for a modern audience.

And there's more: the third competition is now underway, and heritage fans are already gearing up to explore the next generation of web novels that bring Chinese tradition to life with exciting twists.